Multi-compartment container

ABSTRACT

A multi-compartment container, especially suited for packing food-stuffs, comprising: an inner container made of synthetic material and divided by partitions into individual compartments, a metallic lid the inner side of which is coated with heatsealable material and a metallic one-compartment outer container eventually coated with heatsealable material. After filling the compartments with goods, the lid is heat sealed to the partitions of the inner-container whereon the last is inserted in the outer-container and the edges of the lid and circumferential rims of the inner and of the outer-containers are bound together by heat sealing in order to hermetically close the multi-compartment container all around.

United States Patent [191 Zumsteg 1 Feb. 18, 1975 [54] MULTI-COMPARTMENT CONTAINER 3,465,873 9/1969 Munz 206/56 AB 3,641,992 2/1972 P t l. 22013 [75] Inventor e Neuhause am 3,741,427 6/1973 22013 Rhemfall, Sw1tzerland [73] Assignee: Swiss Aluminum Ltd., Chippis, Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr.

Switzerland Attorney, Agent, or FirmErnest F. Marmorek [22] Filed: Oct. 5, 1972 Appl. No.: 297,257

Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 6, 1971 Switzerland 14555/71 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1967 Leckzik et al. 11/1968 Stephenson 229/43 [57] ABSTRACT A multi-compartment container, especially suited for packing food-stuffs, comprising: an inner container made of synthetic material and divided by partitions into individual compartments, a metallic lid the inner side of which is coated with heatsealable material and a metallic one-compartment. outer container eventually coated with heatsealable material. After filling the compartments with goods, the lid is heat sealed to the partitions of the inner-container whereon the last is inserted in the outer-container and the edges of the lid and circumferential rims of the inner and of the outercontainers are bound together by heat scaling in order to hermetically close the multi-compartment container all around.

6 Claims, SDrawing Figures MULTI-COMPARTMENT CONTAINER The invention relates to a container comprising individual compartments, especially suited for packing food-stuffs, this container beeing provided with a lid allowing hermetic sealing of the individual compartments.

Metallic containers provided with a coating of synthetic material on the inside and comprising individual compartments are already known. These containers suffer, however, from the disadvantage that the compartments, especially when they are square-shaped or rectangular-shaped, cannot be deep-drawn without showing wrinkles. In the area of these wrinkles, the metal has a tendency to crack and, in addition to this, it is difficult to remove food stuffs from the pockets formed by the wrinkles. In addition, the wrinkles in the sealing area are detrimental to a hermetic seal.

An object of the present invention is to create a container comprising individual compartments as described above, whereby the disadvantages inherent in the known containers are eliminated.

According to the invention, the multi-compartment container comprises an inner multi-compartment container or receptacle for the packed goods, this innercontainer being made from plastic material and provided with a side rim and being further located in an outer metallic one-compartment container or vessel with side rim, whereby the inner container is adapted in size to the outer metallic container, and whereby the partition walls of the compartments of the inner container are heat-sealed to the lid and the lid and the rims of the inner and the outer container are assembled together by heatsealing.

Thus, a container comprising individually hermetically closed compartments is obtained.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the invention and of the method of producing such containers reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing representing as example a twocompartment container in which:

FIG. 1 is a side-view of a lid consisting of metal foil coated with heatsealable lacquer or laminated with plastic film,

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the inner-container comprising individual compartments and made from plastic material e.g., polypropylene,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the onecompartment container made from metal foil, e.g. aluminum foil, facultatively coated on the inside with heatsealable lacquer or laminated with a plastic film FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional and side-view of a lid as shown in FIG. 1, sealed to a container as shown in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is cross-sectional view of the container as terminated comprising individual compartments as shown in FIG. 2, sealed to lid as shown in FIG. I and inserted into the one-compartment metal container as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the container 1 comprises a lid 2, an inner-container 5 with compartments 3, 4 and a one-compartment metallic outer container 7, which parts are assembled to a single unit by heatsealmg.

FIGS. l, 2 and 3 provide in the main details on the individual parts 2, 5, 7 of the container 1. FIGS. 4 and 5 show details on the successive sealing operations of the filled container and the final assembly of container 1.

Regarding the configuration of the multicompartment inner-container 5 of plastic material and of the single-compartment pre-made metallic outercontainer 7, both containers 5 and 7 show on the top a continuous rim 11 and 12 respectively. Both rims l1 and 12 must preferably be formed so that upon assembly they meet exactly. The inner-container is divided into individual compartments by means of partitions 13, preferably in form of a double wall with connecting member 6 at the top for subsequent sealing with the lid 2. V

In the course of the assembly and the subsequent sealing of container 1, and after the individual com partments 3 and 4 have been filled by goods, the lid 2 is sealed to the inner container 5 by means of a heatsealing tool, which is not closer specified or shown here, in the area 6 of the partitions 13 so that the individual compartments 3 and 4 are covered by the lid 2. In this connection, it is preferable that the partitions 13 of the individual compartments 3, 4 extend from the bottom of container 5 up to the top in line with rim 11. Subsequently, the multi-compartment container 5 is inserted into the pre-fabricated metallic onecompartment container 7 whereby it is preferred that the tapered outer walls 8 of the inner-container 5 is adapted to the tapered inner walls of the outercontainer 7. Then, heatsealing is operated at 10 between lid 2 and the container rim l1 and between this rim l1 and the rim 12 of the metallic container 7, whereby the compartments 3 and 4 of containers 5 are closed hermetically all around and this inner-container 5 is fixed in the more resistant metallic outer container 7.

In the scope of the invention it is also possible to provide a larger number of individual compartments in the inner-container 5 than shown in FIGS. 1 to 5.

In comparison with conventional metallic containers, the container 1 according to this invention provides the advantage that square or rectangular individual compartment containers can be formed free of wrinkles. The application of multi-compartment containers is especially desirable in the food-industry where e.g., ready made meals consisting of various components must be stored apart from each other to avoid a detrimental effect on the flavour. When various food-stuffs are stored in the same container, flavour break-down occurs and the pack is no longer saleable. With the new multicompartment container according to the invention, these diasadvantages can be avoided. In addition, with such multi-compartment containers sterilisation and transportation problems are eased because the various food-stuff being enclosed in the the separate compartments are no longer in danger of being mixed with each other; therefore, also rotary sterilizers can be applied resulting in a shorter sterilisation time and thus a better end-product.

What is claimed is:

I. A multi-compartment container, especially for storing foodstuffs comprising a heat sealable metal lid for hermetically closing said container including a laminated layer of plastic film or heat sealable lacquer a multi-compartment inner-container for the stored foodstuff,

said inner container being made from plastic material and comprising a side rim and partition walls a single compartment metallic outer-container having a side rim;

said inner container conforming in size to said outer container whereby the inner container is supported by said outer container;

said heat sealable metal lid being heat scalable to the partition walls; and

said rims of said inner container and said rim of said outer container being assembled together with said heat scalable lid by heat sealing.

2. Container according to claim 1, in which the side rims of the inner and outer containers are arranged at the top of their side walls.

3. Container according to claim 1, in which the side rims of each inner and outer container are arranged to meet exactly.

4. Container according to claim 1 in which the outer walls of both inner and outer containers are tapered from top to bottom.

5. Container according to claim 1, in which the partitions of the individual compartments of the inner containers extend from the bottom of said container to the top of its rim.

6. A method for producing a multiple container including an outer vessel having a first heat sealable circumferential side rim and a heat scalable lid, an inner multi-compartment fillable receptacle provided with a second circumferential heat scalable side rim and having partition walls between said compartment and being located in said outer vessel and wherein said inner receptacle is adapted in size to said outer vessel comprising the steps:

a. heat sealing said lid to said partition walls after the receptacle has been filled;

b. subsequently inserting said inner receptable into said outer vessel; and

c. thereafter heat sealing said lid to said first and second side rims and heat sealing said first and second side rims to each other, thereby closing the multicompartment container. 

1. A multi-compartment container, especially for storing foodstuffs comprising a heat sealable metal lid for hermetically closing said container including a laminated layer of plastic film or heat sealable lacquer a multi-compartment inner-container for the stored foodstuff, said inner container being made from plastic material and comprising a side rim and partition walls a single compartment metallic outer-container having a side rim; said inner container conforming in size to saiD outer container whereby the inner container is supported by said outer container; said heat sealable metal lid being heat sealable to the partition walls; and said rims of said inner container and said rim of said outer container being assembled together with said heat sealable lid by heat sealing.
 2. Container according to claim 1, in which the side rims of the inner and outer containers are arranged at the top of their side walls.
 3. Container according to claim 1, in which the side rims of each inner and outer container are arranged to meet exactly.
 4. Container according to claim 1 in which the outer walls of both inner and outer containers are tapered from top to bottom.
 5. Container according to claim 1, in which the partitions of the individual compartments of the inner containers extend from the bottom of said container to the top of its rim.
 6. A method for producing a multiple container including an outer vessel having a first heat sealable circumferential side rim and a heat sealable lid, an inner multi-compartment fillable receptacle provided with a second circumferential heat sealable side rim and having partition walls between said compartment and being located in said outer vessel and wherein said inner receptacle is adapted in size to said outer vessel comprising the steps: a. heat sealing said lid to said partition walls after the receptacle has been filled; b. subsequently inserting said inner receptable into said outer vessel; and c. thereafter heat sealing said lid to said first and second side rims and heat sealing said first and second side rims to each other, thereby closing the multi-compartment container. 